Starting November 20, only the investigators of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) can investigate crimes committed by high-ranking government officials and MPs

18:23, 20 November 2017

Open source

The Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine lost its right to start investigations against high-ranking officials, according to the final clause of the Code of Criminal Procedure coming into force Nov. 20.

The prosecution could investigate crimes which are under the jurisdiction of the State Bureau of Investigation, for no longer than 5 years since the new Code of Criminal Procedure came into force (Nov. 19, 2012).

This way, starting Nov. 20, 2017, only the offices of the SBI can investigate crimes committed by ex-Presidents, high-ranking government officials, members of the Central election committee, MPs, Prosecutor Generals, heads of National Bank, judges, and law enforcers.

The SBI also receives the right to investigate crimes committed by the National Anti-corruption Bureau and Special Anti-corruption Prosecution officers, as well as war crimes.

Investigators of the prosecution can continue working on cases that were started before Nov. 20, 2017. However, these investigations can’t last more than two years.